Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills (Santa Barbara County, California) Chardonnay “Ashley’s” 2023 ($40)

Fess Parker may no longer be a household name, but he was well known a generation ago, having played Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone in Disney productions in the 1950s and 60s. He established his winery in the late 1980s buying The Foxen Canyon Ranch with a bit over 700 acres of land. Sta. Rita Hills, where the fruit for this wine is grown offers a unique microclimate within California, being the only valley which runs West to East, allowing coastal fog and cold winds from the Pacific Ocean to penetrate deep inland. It’s been said that for every mile inland you go eastward from the ocean, you gain one degree of temperature in the valley, so vineyard location is a defining feature of the style of the wine one can make. Ashley’s vineyard produces a wine with site-derived aromas of chalk, perfumed yellow apple/blossom, and a hint of talcum powder. These are balanced by what seems to be both full malolactic conversion and a generous amount of new oak, resulting in distinctly lactic and buttery notes. The tension between these elements provides interest, though I wonder if fans of lean Chardonnay will like the oak and whether those who like a richer style will find the acidity too high. This balance should prove itself well suited to match with white proteins, Beurre Blanc, and spring-inspired sorrel based sauces.
90 Andrew Holod